Melissa Uroff

Melissa Uroff is a California based artist and photographer. Her work deeply comes from her experience of being a woman. She finds great joy working with color and light in both her installations and photography.

As a photographer, she works in alternative, historical and experimental processes including cyanotypes, gum printing, polaroid transfers, hand coloring and traditional darkroom techniques. She has a long love affair with mixing mediums in both 2-D and 3-D work.

Her 3-D work consists of neon lights, artist created sculpture(s), and found objects which are often built into installations. Neon, traditionally, is a male dominated field, and she finds it intriguing to use the medium to provide a place for female-centered representation. She is influenced by those who have come before her, as well as her own personal stories.

Melissa’s 2-D work is a mix between her personal life and a strange dream, it is often difficult to find where reality begins and ends. Her work continually and subconsciously pulls from images of her childhood and heritage with the use of specific flora and fauna, dance, birds, references to music, found and obtained objects, family and community connections. It becomes a mix between her personal life and a strange dream, and it is often difficult to find where reality begins and ends. There is always a bit of weirdness and exaggeration used to tell her story.

She is currently working as an Artist in Residence with Yolo Arts, teaching art to “at-risk” youth as well as with the unhoused community throughout Yolo County. 

Melissa is also the founder and editor of TUBE., a Sacramento based arts and culture print magazine created by artists and musicians.

When she is not making art, teaching, curating, or running the magazine you will find her DJing with the Vixens of Vinyl, playing her accordion, and traveling every available chance.